Ciencia ficción

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Androids, Humanoids, and Other Science Fiction Monsters : Science and Soul in Science Fiction Films Schelde, Per. New York University Press 0814779956 9780814779958 9780585321172 English Science fiction films--History and criticism. 1993PN1995.9.S26S26 1993eb 791.43/615 Science fiction films--History and criticism.

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Androids, Humanoids, and Other Science Fiction Monsters

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Universal Pictures, 1931. Still courtesy of MOMA film stills archive.

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Androids, Humanoids, and Other Science Fiction Monsters Science and Soul in Science Fiction Films Per Schelde

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NEW YORK UNIVERSITY PRESS New York and London Copyright © 1993 by New York University All rightsreserved Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Schelde, Per. Androids, humanoids, and other science fiction monsters : science and soul in science fiction films / Per Schelde. p. cm. Filmography: p. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8147-7930-1 (alk. paper) 1. Science fiction filmsHistory and criticism. I. Title. PN1995.9.S26S26 1993 791.43'615dc20 93-274 CIP New YorkUniversity Press books are printed on acid-free paper, and their binding materials are chosen for strength and durability. Manufactured in the Unites States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

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Contents Preface 1. Introduction ix 1 1 This Is a Book about Science Fiction Film 3 Assumptions and Methodology 6Approaches to Folklore 12 The Films 12 Culture vs. Nature: Culture Is Assigning Meaning 14 Nature in the Cultural Script 16 Nature, Culture, and Folklore 17 The Umbilical Cord: Nature, Culture, and Christianity 20 Sf Soul Defined 2. Dangerous Science 25 25 What Is an Sf Movie? 27 The Sf Hero 29 The Scientist As Shaman, Superman, and Romantic Genius 37

The Evolution of the Sf Scientist 41Mysterious Science 43 Sf Science Goals 45 Scientific Transgressions in Sf Films 56 A Monster Is Born

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3. Meanwhile Back in the Kitchen; or, Women and Science

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Female "Nature" 66 Gendered Science 67 Woman the Polluter 71 Stereotypes 76 Women from the Future and Androgynes 4. Humanoids in theToolshed 84 84 Need Space, Will Travel 85 Living Things from Outer Space 86 Organisms Monstrosus 96 Invaded Minds 108 Alien Gods 5. In the Belly of the Beast 118 118 The Mechanical Landscape: Technologie Moralisée 121 Sexy Weapons 125 The Ghost in the Machine 6. Disembodied Brains 132

7. Docile Bodies

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Rossum's Universal Robots 154 Meanwhile, in the Real World 156 Robotic Gadgets158 Sf Robots: R2D2 to Johnny-5 8. Intrusive Media 166 169 Corporate Mind Control 175 Mediated Mind Control 9. The Dystopia 187 187 Bureaucratic Nightmares 193 Male Supremacy

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10. The Human Form Submerged, Beleaguered, and Triumphant

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Drugged Docility 201 Building Bodies 203 TheBody-Beautiful Phenomenon 204 The Body-Clean Phenomenon 205 The Body-Perfect/Body-Immortal Phenomenon 11. Have Mind, Seek Soul: The Android's Quest 214 214 Deadly Docility 218 Womb-Envy 221 Perfect Mates 227 Soulful Machines 12. Conclusion Bibliography Filmography Index 241 245 253 271

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Preface...